The ReciproCard Report: Kansas
Overview
Kansas runs on agreements, and there are a lot of them.
Kansas has 6 separate Libby catalogs, which means 6 different collections of books sitting in the same state. Libraries here have struck reciprocal agreements with each other so their cardholders can cross over, and I've confirmed 284 new card opportunities as a result.
Libraries and Libby Participation
Library systems: 322
On Libby: 183 (56.8%)
Not on Libby: 139
The ones not on Libby: Altamont Public Library, Altoona Public Library, Americus Township Library, Andale District Library, Anthony Public Library, Arlington City Library, Arma City Library, Ashland Library, Attica City Library, Baldwin City Library, Barnes Reading Room, Beck-Bookman Library, plus 127 more. ReciproCard only tracks Libby, so I can't say what those libraries use instead.
Not every library system uses Libby. Some offer digital borrowing through other services, and a few haven't adopted a digital platform yet. This report only covers libraries that are on Libby.
Unique Catalogs
Kansas has 6 different shared digital catalogs. Every one you can reach through a partnership, an agreement, or a non-resident card is a different library of books on Libby. The collections really do differ from one system to the next, so every new card here is a real upgrade.
A shared digital catalog, sometimes called a consortium, is a collection of ebooks and audiobooks that multiple library systems fund and share together. Each catalog listed below is a separate collection. Libraries that belong to the same one are all drawing from the same pool of books.
Catalogs
| Catalog | Library systems |
|---|---|
| Sunflower eLibrary | 177 |
| Johnson County Library and Olathe Public Library | 2 |
| Lawrence Public Library | 1 |
| Ottawa University Kansas | 1 |
| Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library | 1 |
| Wichita Public Library | 1 |
A shared catalog is what happens when a group of libraries pool their money and buy one collection together. ReciproCard hides libraries that share a catalog you already have, because a second card for the same collection just shows you the same books twice. Everything counted below is a collection you don't already have.
New Card Opportunities
New card opportunities: 284
Through agreements: 284
Every one of Kansas's 183 Libby libraries has at least one new card opportunity attached to it.
A new card opportunity is any time a library system's cardholders can access a Libby catalog they don't already have, as identified by ReciproCard. These come from Libby partnerships (where your existing card works at another library's catalog), reciprocal agreements (where you apply for a free card at another system), and statewide programs (where a library is open to all residents regardless of location). ReciproCard filters out duplicate catalogs, so each opportunity listed here represents access to a genuinely different collection. Keep in mind that ReciproCard only tracks agreements that include Libby access. Many libraries have reciprocity for physical books but not Libby, and those aren't counted here.
Open to everyone in the state
1 library in Kansas will give a card to any resident of the state, wherever you live. 0 online, 1 in person. Worth checking before anything else, since eligibility is guaranteed.
Kansas has 2 regional networks where members all accept each other's cards, covering 118 libraries between them.
Across State Lines
Agreements don't always stop at the border. Kansas reaches into Missouri (7).
A card from across the border is a completely separate collection with its own copies and its own hold lines, so if you live anywhere near the state line this is worth a look.
How Kansas Compares
- 9th of 51 for number of library systems (322).
- Tied for 31st of 51 for separate Libby catalogs (6).
- 13th of 51 for new card opportunities (284).
- Largest catalog: Sunflower eLibrary (177 libraries).
Explore Other States
Haven't Searched Your Own Library Yet?
This report gives you the statewide picture, but your results depend on your local system. If you haven't already, enter your home library system in the search above to see what cards you might be eligible for.